308 advise

[grubbylabs]

Just picked up some new components to load my 308 with.


What I have is:
Marlin XS-7 308
Winchester Brass
rem 9 1/2 primer
Varget Powder
Hornady 165 grain SST

What I am looking for is a good starting place.

Hornady lists 32.6 - 44.0 grains

At which end of the scale are you finding better performance (accuracy) at?
I am just looking to shorten he curve a little.
Thanks for your input.

[Incognito]

Haven't shot any 165 gr bullets yet, but I've been shooting 168 gr with 43 gr of Varget (Winchester brass).
It shoots good and the cases are holding up very well so far even after 9 cycles.

[HiBC]

I would not suggest "shortening the curve" by jumping right into maxloads.I suggest you make at least 5 loads for every grain of increase from start load to max.If you have a chrono,check each 1 gr increment.You should get a fairly uniform increasein velocity per grain.Say 60 fps or so,for illustration.
You may get 59,56,then you may get 38 fps.You just hit the wall.Go back to the last load,1 gr down,and call it your max.,or,even farther back if you want more margin.
In my experience Varget likes the upper end of a safe load.

[mehavey]

Most "match" loads are actually found at the lower velocities (some at the very lowest), but each rifle can be different. So you literally have to find that load which your particular barrel/bolt combination "likes."

Start low(est) and work up in classical 0.3 - 0.4gr increments.

[Loader9]

Hodgdon, supplier of Varget, shows data that starts at 42.0 grs and max at 46.0 grs. Most of the guys shooting Varget with the 165s are working around 44.5 grs. That's where I would start and work each way in half grain increments. Hodgdon shows 46.0 grs max to be a compressed load. I've worked with Varget using compressed loads and so far it has shown to be a stable powder when compressed.
http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

FWIW, ADI of Australia is the maker of Varget branded powder. They call it A2208. They also show the same data as the Hodgdon website.
http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handlo...uide/rifle.asp

[Slamfire]

Pressure symptoms can be very deceptive when developing loads. The proof positive indications, blown primers, sticky extraction, only occur when you have greatly exceeded safe pressures.

So, even though I took a 168 Match bullet to 45 grains without any blown primers or sticky extraction, that does not mean I feel safe behind that load.

Based on my testing, I think a load from 43 to 44 grains is a reasonable maximum load. And since I am shooting 168’s, that ought to be within a half grain of a safe load for a 165.

Pre-64 M70 					
24 " Douglas Barrel 1:10 twist						
								
		
								
168 Hornady Match  40.0 grs Varget  wtd Lot 4295 Mixed LC WLR OAL  2.8
3-Oct-05 T = 88 ° F		
		 				
Ave Vel =	2459				 	 		
Std Dev =	16				 	 		
ES =	56				 		
Low =	2439				 		
High =	2495				 		
N =	10
rounded primers ten ring accuracy MR-31 Target
		 					
								
168 Hornady Match  41.0 grs Varget  wtd Lot 4295 Mixed LC WLR OAL 2.8
3-Oct-05  T = 89 ° F
	
Ave Vel =	2530				 	 		
Std Dev =	14				 	 		
ES =	39				 		
Low =	2509				 		
High =	2548				 		
N =	10		 					
rounded primers ten ring accuracy MR-31 Target
								
168 Hornady Match  42.0 grs Varget  wtd Lot 4295 Mixed LC WLR OAL  2.8	
3-Oct-05 T = 89 ° F		
		 				
Ave Vel =	2602				 	 		
Std Dev =	20				 	 		
ES =	65					
High =	2633				 		
Low =	2568				 		
N =	10		 					
flattened primers,  X ring accuracy on MR-31 Target
								
168 Sierra Match  43.0 grs Varget  wtd Lot 4295 Mixed LC WLR OAL 	2.8
3-Oct-05 T = 89 ° F			
		 				
Ave Vel =	2660				 	 		
Std Dev =	15				 		
ES =	48				 	
High =	2680				 		
Low =	2632						
N =	9							
flattened primers, slight cupping into firing pin hole, V. Good Accuracy, easy extraction			
						
								
168 Sierra Match  44.0 grs Varget  wtd Lot 4295 Mixed LC WLR OAL 2.8		
3-Oct-05  T = 89 ° F
	
Ave Vel =	2709				 	 		
Std Dev =	14				 		
ES =	45				 	
High =	2735				 		
Low =	2690				 		
N =	10							
flattened primers slight cupping into firing pin hole excellent accuracy easy extraction


								
168 Hornady Match  45.0 grs Varget  wtd Lot 4295 Mixed LC WLR OAL  2.83-Oct-05 T = 89 ° F
	
Ave Vel =	2757				 	 		
Std Dev =	16				 		
ES =	55				 	
High =	2786				 		
Low =	2731				 		
N =	10						
								
flattened primers, slight cupping into firing pin hole, 8 in one hole, easy extraction,  probably max load

[Doodlebugger45]

That 32.6 gr on the low end seems so low to me that I wonder if it's a misprint. The most I have ever tried was 45.5 gr but that wasn't a particularly hot load. I have never tried below 41.0 gr. That's a really weak load already. I can't imagine reducing it down another 9 gr.

[20thru45]

I'm trying to work up loads for my brand new 3.08 also. Varget would be my first choice of powder with 150 grain Barnes ttsx boattails and Federal 210M primers. I've got federal brass. My initial results with Reloader 15 have been more promising but I'll work on this till I've got a tack driver with some velocity if possible.

[BigBob3006]

grubby,

I've check three different manuals and they all list 42.0 as a starting load and
46.0 as Max. I think you'll like H-Varget, I had great results with it. Every rifle is an individual and as such may or may not like the same load as another rifle. I think it would also be safer if you started low and worked your way up in half grain increments.

[grubbylabs]

Has any one used magnum primers with Varget? magnum primers are all I have to use so I was just wondering if any one has any experience with the powder and magnum primers.

I plan on starting low and working up but it would be nice to know where people are finding the sweet spot. If I can find a general range then I can work up to that range in 1/2 grain increments and then go to .2 increments so that I can refine my load.